In Light Of The Dark
by Mia Calima
Summary: My own take on the events leading up to, and surrounding, Sonja's death, and the war between the Vampires and Lycans.
1. Chapter 1

"If I had it to do over I'd have watched the sunset that day."

"My lady, you should rest."

The candles around the bed flickered with the opening of the door. Bianca looked up. The night had closed like an iron fist on Wraithburg, deepening the ever present shadows of the old fortress. She recognized the old servant by her voice, unable to pick her form out of the darkness by the door.

"I'm fine Helena." She said standing to stretch the kinks out of her muscles. Her eyes burned with fatigue, but she turned them again to the bed where her father lay. In the unsteady candle glow, he looked more like a corpse than ever. His normally angular face, sunken, with what thin hair he had sweat soaked and plastered to his skull. He had tossed and muttered with the fever earlier, but now he was still. So still, the shallow rise and fall of his chest was all that assured her he was alive.

"My lady, you won't do master Victor any good if you're sick with exhaustion."

The older woman carried an apron full of beeswax tapers to the bedside. Bianca reached for the candelabra closest and began replacing the guttering lights.

"These should last me till dawn. You should go to bed Helena."

The old servant made an exasperated noise, but Bianca ignored it.

"Is the page still outside?"

"Yes, my lady, but he's snoring, and you'll have to kick him to wake him."

Bianca sighed, sheer weariness pulled on her like a weight, but she nodded.

"Just so I can send him for the priest if we need him."

The new candles flared, brightening the room slightly. Bianca automatically pulled back the woven coverlet to check her father's wound. The linen wraps around his torso where stained with an evil smelling yellow discharge and blood. Without a word Helena filled the basin with hot water from the hearth. The activity of washing the wound was too familiar to Bianca. Like most of it's kind it had initially closed and appeared to heal. Her father had thought nothing of it; merely a scratch from an overlarge splinter. Nothing like the other scars littered over his body from his numerous battles.

The fever had come unexpectedly; he simply hadn't come to meal one morning. Bianca had dared to enter his room and found him in a swoon. It was only in bathing him to bring down his fever that she had found the corrupted wound. Still, none of her skill made a difference, neither herbs nor prayers could prevent his decline.

She carefully rewrapped with clean linen, and carried the basin to empty out the window while Helena bundled the soiled bandages into her apron.

"I'll see to these first thing."

Bianca shook her head. "Go to bed Helena. They will keep till morning."

The servant made no argument, and moment later she was alone once more, save for the dying man. She stood over him, her mind to numb and tired to feel much of anything, but she brushed the wisps of hair from his forehead. His skin was clammy, the fever broken, but she feared too late. With a sigh she settled back into the chair at his bedside.

She picked up the rosary from where she had set it down on the pillow by his head, but didn't even attempt to follow the ritual prayer. She just held it, rubbing the little silver crucifix between her fingers.

It was the draft from the open door that woke Bianca in the middle of the night. The candles glowed lower in their holders, there drippings frozen in weird shapes. She didn't move except to open her eyes for a moment. Her mind struggling tiredly to grasp what her instincts knew in an instant. There was someone else in the room.

Bianca's thoughts shook off their lethargy and began racing. The presence in the room was no servant she knew, yet her only weapon was her knife for meat, if it was an enemy.

Then she saw him.

He stepped into the light of the candles without hesitation. A handsome, richly dressed man, with an arrogant carriage. He looked straight at her, and his smile made her shiver. He raised one finger to his lips.

She didn't know where her courage had gone, but when he stepped closer to her father's bedside she spoke up.

"Who are you, and why do you disturb this sick chamber?"

Again he looked at her and she felt herself pale.

"Do not hinder me wench, if I meant to kill your father his blood would already be mine." He was already beside the bed "Though not before I'd had yours."

The man turned back to the bed, all interest in her lost.

"Ah, Victor, you've fallen very low." The stranger murmured. He reached out and gripped the sick man's chin.

"Wake up Victor, we need to talk."

Bianca made a noise of protest, that strangled off as her father's eyelids flickered then opened. He looked at her for a second blearily, then focused on the strange visitor. Immediately his gaze sharpened on the strangers face.

"Good," said the man. "I was hoping that you would be lucid."

The dying man's eyes narrowed.

"I don't suppose you know who I am." The man went on. "I think that you know my brother though." He sat easily on the side of the bed.

"You fought him not more than a fortnight ago, you and your men. I saw you cut him right across the snout. It turned the tide, you know, and sent him running." The man spoke lazily, flicking at a tassel on the bed curtains.

It took a second for Bianca to process those words. Her father had been hunting a great beast that was ravaging the villages. She had heard the tale from his arms man how the party had caught up to the beast in the middle of a rampage. They had driven it from the village into the woods, and the Lord Victor had fought it himself, sword against claw. In the end his sword had cleaved the beast's snout practically in two. The beast had retreated, but not before hurling her father into a nearby tree. He'd been bruised but unharmed except for a splinter of tree branch that had driven through his mail coat into the meat of his side.

The stranger was still speaking.

"That's what convinced me you know. I saw the way you and your men fought. Very impressive."

For the first time in days Lord Victor spoke.

"Get to your point. I am, on my death bed." Just speaking had drained him visibly, but the stranger nodded and gave an amused smile.

"My name is Marcus Corvinnus, and I can get you off this death bed."

Bianca felt as if she was frozen. A small part of her mind was screaming at her to raise the alarm. Wake the men at arms to come to her father's aid. She couldn't move though. She listened and could do nothing as the stranger outlined his proposal. She wondered if perhaps she was dreaming.

"You will help me capture my brother, and in exchange I will grant you immortality."

"And how," her father asked. "Will I receive this immortality."

"A simple bite, a brief time of pain, then forever." Corvinnus smiled, and spread his hands.

"If I wasn't dying I'd call you the ass you are, and throw you out the window." Victor grated.

"After which I would get up, walk back in here, and tear your head off with my bare hands." The other man never even stopped smiling.

Victor considered this.

"As I am dying anyway, and don't hold much hope for my soul in the after life; despite my daughter's efforts." He flicked a contemptuous glance at the rosary in Bianca's hand.

"This dithering is to very little purpose. Do as you wish, it makes little difference to me."

"I would have your word Lord Victor that you will aid me in the capture of my brother when you are recovered."

"Those are all your terms for immortality?" The sunken features of Miranda's father seemed to almost grin up at the other man.

"Boy, you have a lot to learn about bargaining."

"I am more than a century older than you human." Corvinnus's tone was flat and dangerous, and there was no hint of smile. "I have more experience than you can imagine."

Victor laughed, a horrible, wet sound.

"Year's don't count for everything, or you wouldn't need me to help you catch that beast of yours."

The laugh turned into a wheeze that rattled his entire body. Bianca suddenly found that she could move. She snatched the wine goblet from the bedside table, and moved to give him a drink, but the stranger stopped her with a hand.

"Never mind,.. I'll do it now. Before the old buzzard dies on me." He growled.

Bianca gasped as he casually batted the goblet from her hand, and took both of her hands in one of his. He leaned close over her father, and then very deliberately bit him. She did scream then. A short burst of sound quickly smothered as with indomitable strength, Marcus Corvinnus forced her face into the covers of her father's bed. She might as well have struggled against a tree root as made any impact on the strength that held her down. She felt panic as she fought to breathe through the heavy woolen blankets. An eternity later the same hand jerked her up by the hair.

"No point screaming now. He'll either live or die, and no amount of soldiers will make a difference." Corvinnus's tone was reasonable. Bianca concentrated on breathing.

"What have you done to him?" She finally demanded.

"Saved him... killed him," He shrugged. "It depends on how he takes the change." Then he grimaced.

"I hate the taste of death. Vile blood!"

Bianca darted a glance at her father. He was unmoving, as if once again sunk in his fever. Corvinnus caught her chin in his hand and directed her attention back on him, then smiled.

"Sweet lady, you wouldn't begrudge me a small drop just to rinse the bad taste from my mouth?" She tried to look at the wine pitcher, but he wouldn't let her move or speak. One hand trapped hers behind her back, the other held her face.. In a moment of clarity as he leaned close, she noticed his eyes, bright blue, like nothing she had ever seen before.

Then he bit her, and everything went black.


	2. Chapter 2

"Blood is necessary, that's all I'm going to say about it."

Waking up was a surprise to Bianca..

"I told you, I only wanted a drop." A voice above her said, It was still dark in the great bedroom, though there was a grayness that suggested dawn and turned out to be the closed shutters. Markus Corvinus stood over her smiling.

"I'm glad you woke up, servants keep pounding on the door, and it's distracting. I expect you're hungry?"

Bianca sat up carefully, and groaned. The very thought of food made her ill.

"Hmm, interesting.." Corvinus observed. "You should have some none the less. It would be a bad beginning if you attacked a servant."

That startled her.

"Why would I…?" She began, but he shoved a goblet toward her, and suddenly she couldn't think. Raw need seemed to claw at her throat. She had the cup and was raising it to her lips before her mind caught up. She hesitated.

The man sighed.

"Just drink it, and don't ask questions."

Bianca gave in. The liquid in the cup was warm, though some unknown sense seemed to know it wasn't quite as warm as it should be. She didn't seem to be tasting it in the ordinary way of food, as if her tongue had very little to do with it, instead her whole body told her that what she tasted was absolutely delicious. Bianca felt the liquid seep straight into her dry, sore tissues, leaving her feeling better than she ever had before.

When Bianca finished and pulled the cup away, she looked in it amazed, then up at Markus Corvinus.

"What elixir is this?"

He laughed out loud.

"Elixir, hardly! I can't stand the taste of goat blood myself, but it was the easiest to obtain, since the servants are off limits."

Bianca stared into the goblet again, her mind reeling.

"But…it didn't taste like blood." She had done enough butchering to know that.

"I don't know what blood tastes like to a human," he shrugged. "But I wouldn't be surprised that it tasted different for our kind."

"Our kind?" Lord Victor of Wraithburg's voice startled Bianca so bad, she almost dropped the goblet. He sounded strong; when she turned he was sitting on the side of the bed.

"Victor, how nice to see you looking so well!"

"Markus Corvinus, would you care to explain what my daughter is doing on the floor?" His tone was very dry.

Markus shrugged.

"Slipped, I expect." Then, "would you like something to drink, Victor?"

"Blood?" The question held a challenge in it. Bianca scrambled to her feet and glanced between the two men. Her father sat with rigid control on the edge of the bed, despite obvious weakness.

"And what other little surprises might await me now that I am "off this death bed," as you put it?"

Markus tried to look flippant and failed.

"The sun. The rays of the sun burn us." He waved a hand at the closed shutters. "And unless you enjoy the sensation of your organs melting, I suggest that you stay away from garlic."

Victory regarded the man a moment more.

"Perhaps you are better at bargaining than I gave you credit for." He snapped his head in an abrupt nod.

"Very well, let us have this elixir of life."

Bianca stared into the cup in her hand, aware of the sounds as Corvinus poured from the great silver ewer on the table. She struggled to bring her thoughts and emotions under control. Almost without thinking, she stepped to the window. Only a very little light seeped through the shutters and heavy hangings. At the edge of one hanging, a gap let in a tiny slice of daylight.

Her gasp of pain drew the two men's attention.

"Stupid girl, what are you doing?" Her father snapped. She turned to face him, holding her blistered hand to her chest, but could think of nothing to say. Markus was beside her in an instant. With no trouble he pulled it free of her grip.

"Ahh.. but just watch."

The burn was bad, a blackened weal running from her knuckles to her wrist, as if the tiny spot of sunlight playing over her hand had been a spot of fire instead. Bianca shuddered to look at it. Then it began to change.

The redness disappeared first, then the blisters. The new skin took only moments to completely erase any sign of burn.

Bianca flexed her fingers, and stared at them in shock. Not even a scar showed.

"Impressive," Victor breathed.

"Think of the warriors we could lead." Markus urged. "Virtually invincible."

"Not completely?" Victor asked sharply.

Markus huffed. "We can be killed. If she had stepped into the sunlight, not even fast healing would save her." He dropped her hand and went on. "If we lose too much blood, or, of course, beheading will take care of us just like anyone else."

Bianca looked between her father and the Markus Corvinus, the man who had so drastically changed her life. The numbness was gone now, driven out by the pain that sunlight had caused her. She could see the gleam in her father's eye, the thrill of power and challenge.

A loud pounding at the door interrupted the moment. Then the voice of Father Tespian spoke up.

"Lady Bianca, open the door, please." The old man sounded breathless from the long walk from his tiny chapel.

"For the sake of your father's soul, let me come in and give the last rites."

Bianca made a move for the door, but her father was faster. With a growl he threw the heavy wooden panel back, to reveal the small crowd of servants clustered around the priest.

"No last rites will be necessary, I assure you."

The old cleric stumbled back slightly at the fury in his liege's voice.

"My lord." He stammered. "You've recovered…it is a marvel."

"A marvel indeed, and no result of your dusty prayers and rites." Victor added contemptuously.

The old priest seemed unable to find words, indeed all the servants huddled close together, uneasy, even frightened. Victor seemed to relish the effect. This was not terribly unusual, the servants always feared Lord Victor of Wraithburg, Bianca noticed a shift though, the sudden predatory gleam, the wildness that seemed to radiate from her father. She felt the stirring in herself, looking at the crowd of frightened – prey- her new instincts insisted. There was danger here in this moment, if she did not interfere. In one swift move she was between her father and the group, smiling as best she could despite the deadly tension.

"I'm very sorry that you had to come all the way up here, Father Tespian." She spoke hastily, as the old priest blinked.

"My father is much better, but still needs rest, and food to, I'm sure." She looked over the group before her.

"Helena, if you would see to that, and some wine." The old servant nodded, in obvious relief to be going. Most of the rest of the servants seemed to think it a good excuse to step away as well.

Bianca heard her father laugh softly, as they went, a laugh that raised the hairs on the back of her neck, and caused Father Tespian to blanch.

"Yes, rest is what I need. Rest, and food." Still laughing he stepped back and shut the door, leaving her in the corridor. The difficulty of her position hit Bianca immediately. This corridor was on the western side of the castle, so the morning sunlight did not reach it, indeed torches still burned in sconces along the walls. However, she could not stay just here, and by mid day the light from the narrow window would make the place only a little dim.

Father Tespian broke into her thoughts.

"My dear, I'm afraid the sight of your father gave me quite a turn."

Bianca had no idea how old the priest was, he'd been bent and gnarled when she was a babe, and her mother had used to talk to him while her husband was off fighting some war or another. He'd taught her to read, and played riddle games with her, and had comforted her when both her mother and step mother died. She would have turned to him now, if not for the fact that she was deathly afraid she would bite him. Her teeth practically ached to sink into the thin flesh of a throat.

"I half thought it was a shade at first." The tonsured head shook. "Who would've thought that he'd recover; as sick as he was?"

"He's very strong." She agreed, struggling to control, the new, wild instincts within her.

"He had a very good healer." The old man fondly patted her arm.

Bianca gasped at the sudden heat; the old priest's fingers practically burned.

"Child, you're freezing!"

"I'm just very tired, Father," She lied desperately, backing away from his concerned ministrations.

"Well, you must to bed at once," He urged. "We can't have you taking ill. I shall send for a maid to attend you."

"Thank you, thank you, Father." Bianca practically ran to get away from her oldest friend.

She moved with caution through the castle. Avoiding light, and people with ever increasing skill as she realized her new senses were much keener than the old. Even the most minute speck of sunlight radiated uncomfortable heat and blurred her vision. People also gave off heat, some of them almost glowed, and a tantalizing scent. She clenched her teeth, and concentrated on breathing through her mouth when they came near.

Wraithburg was an old castle. The oldest person Bianca had ever known, her father's nurse, had told her that before men came, dwarves had carved the foundations from the roots of the mountain. In the caverns below, the old woman had whispered, wyrms prowled, hungry for naughty children. The story was very effective in keeping children from wandering the lower reaches of the keep, if nothing else.

Bianca's mother had hated the place, with it's sweating stone walls, and dark passages. As a child she had heard servants gossip saying that her mother pined for the sun till she wasted away. Thinking of that as she skulked in the dark of a passage way, Bianca nearly cried at the irony. Only a few short feet stood between her and the door to her chamber, yet she was stymied. A wide patch of sunlight streamed through the narrow window, lighting the corridor, so that her eyes stung even when closed. The heat, even as far as she was from it, made her breathless, she could feel her skin beginning to blister.

"Yanca, what are you doing?" The child's voice startled Bianca, and she opened her eyes. The burst of white hot pain made her gasp and clutch at her head.

"Yani!" The high note of anxiety was accompanied be two burning, little hands clutching at her arm.

"Yani what's wrong?"

"I'm all right, nothing is wrong little one." Bianca tried to sooth, even though she didn't dare take her hands from her eyes. She wondered if she would be blind, or if the healing would work on her eyes to.

"Take your hands down." Worry continued in the child's voice.

"I can't, the light is too bright." Bianca confessed. "I need the window covered." There was a moment of puzzled silence, then the two little hands lifted, and Bianca heard the soft footsteps moving away. A moment later a child's quiet grunt, and the soft thump of fabric. She felt it instantly, as the sunlight was shut out by the heavy tapestry, the horrible heat fading. She sighed and let her hands fall to her sides. Her vision was still blurry. She groped her way forward and called out softly.

"Could you see that the windows in the bedchamber are covered also?"

A moment later.

"They're all covered Yanca. You can come in."

Bianca moved warily, her vision improving with every moment,

"Yanca is it all right now? Do your eyes hurt?"

Bianca closed the door and sighed with relief.

"No Sonja, they don't hurt any more." Bianca looked up to see her half sister standing, rubbing one bare, dirty foot against the ankle of the other in the middle of the room. Her expression was worried.


	3. Chapter 3

At twelve summers Sonja really was too old to be running wild in her bare feet. Her tawny hair was a mess, her dress old, and much too short to adequately cover her coltish limbs. No one had paid much attention to her in the last few weeks since Bianca had been caring for their father. She made a move to draw closer, but Bianca held her hands out.

"No Sonja, don't come any closer. It's not safe," She suddenly found it hard to speak. "I'm not safe."

"If you're sick, I'll take care of you." The younger girl offered, obviously trying to hold back tears. They weren't the first she had cried recently, Bianca could tell, noting the many tear tracks on her dirty face.

"I'm not ill, little one," Bianca sighed. "But right now you must trust me, and do as I say." She walked to the bed and sat down. So many things were changed so suddenly that she didn't know where to start putting things back together again. She was iron firm about one thing at least, none of what had happened was going to hurt her little sister if she could help it.

"Is father dead?" Sonja broke hesitantly into her thoughts. Bianca started.

"Oh heavens, I'm sorry, no." She assured her. "I thought one of the servant's would have told you already. He's fully recovered."

Sonja's smile was as bright as sunshine, without the pain, and for a second Bianca forgot about the killing urges within her, and smiled back.

"I knew he was going to get better." She crowed, and before Bianca could react, flew at her with arms wide open.

The assault was too sudden, Bianca felt her control slip. Instincts that she had never known before made her moves lightening fast. Pinning the little girl, homing in on the soft, throbbing pulse in her neck.

"No!"

Bianca felt the effort of hauling herself back, and realized she was panting. Her whole body trembled, so that she found herself collapsing against the far wall of the chamber. She couldn't look at Sonja; couldn't bear to see the terror and revulsion, that she knew must be on her sister's face. If she could have, she would have cried then, but no tears came to her eyes.

"Bianca?" Sonja voice was very small, and frightened. "I'm sorry, I.."

"It wasn't your fault Sonja; it was me." Bianca put her head in her hands, completely miserable. She didn't know where to begin an explanation.

"I've.. been changed, Sonja." She didn't look up. "It was part of the price for Father's recovery. Father to." That was close enough she guessed.

If anything Sonja sounded even more terrified. "Changed?"

"I wanted your blood Sonja!" Harsh, but Bianca couldn't help it. "I still want it."

"But, you jumped back, after your eyes went all blue, and…" She let the rest go unsaid.

Bianca groaned, and leaned her head against the wall.

"What's going to happen next Yanca?" Her little sister asked. Bianca really didn't want to think about it. She'd been concentrating hard on the present, and immediate troubles, since the moment she'd woken up, and realized that she wasn't dead. Contemplating the future, immortality, was too much. She tried to think what she would be thinking about on a normal day instead. The images of kneading bread, and inspecting the kennels didn't come though. What came made her gasp. Like memories, or dreams of memories, images swirled through her mind.

A strong, bearded man, turning away and climbing the gangway of a ship. A young man with reddish hair convulsing on the ground as his body changed with terrifying speed into a beast.

Blood, blood everywhere. A Beast tearing the throat from a woman. A little boy being swung through the air, the strong, bearded man, laughing. A woman, not really distinct, except for the steady beat of her pulse at the base of her throat,…More and more images. Blood and death. Bianca fought to surface from the current of alien memories. Distantly she heard herself whimpering on the floor of her chamber. It was Sonja that pulled her back though. The young girl was kneeling beside her, shaking her shoulders in panic.

"Yanca, stop, please stop. Should I go fetch Father Tespian?"

Bianca shook her head, focusing on her sister's voice.

"No, he can't help me right now." She swallowed, forcing the images back. To some extent it seemed to her like pushing a river back with only her hands, but she set her will to it. After a moment she sat up, and pushed her hair away from her face.

"The floor and I are becoming far too intimately acquainted." She commented inconsequentially. She climbed to her feet, fixing her attention on each detail, noting her personal disarray. The minutia of existence was the only fragile thread that bound her sanity in place, so she focused on it.

"Oh, this will have to be cleaned." Bianca shook her skirt, and sighed. "And I horribly need a wash."

"There's water, but it's cold." Sonja informed her, checking the ewer.

"It will do, I don't want to bother the servants." She shuddered to think of the door opening with all that daylight.

To her surprise, the cold water didn't affect her at all. She could feel it, but her body's senses seemed strangely extraneous to her. Present but not terribly important. Still, the act of washing was pleasant, and for the first time that day her mind began to catch up with all that had happened.

"Do you want to wear this one?" Her sister asked, holding up a frock from the immense chest at the foot of the bed. Bianca didn't really care.

"It will do fine."

Sonja hesitated only at the last minute as she brought the dress to Bianca.

"Is it all right?" She asked, and Bianca thought about it before answering, standing in her under dress, in the mostly dark room.

"Things will never be as they were little one, but I don't feel that I shall lose control again just yet.""

Bianca spoke again as her sister helped her lace the cords of her dress.

"Sonja, we need to think about what we are going to do with you." The little girl fumbled the lace, and looked up.

"Do with me?"

Bianca nodded. "Things are going to change around here. Father has promised him army to the man who changed both of us." She finished tying the cords and picked up her comb.

"The warriors will have to be changed, so that father can lead them, and most of the servants…" The enormity of the situation struck her, so she had to sit. Unfazed Sonja took the comb from her and began to pull it through her dark hair.

"What's that got to do with me?" Bianca hardly noticed the question.

"No one will be able to go out in daylight, we will have to close up the entire castle." A horrible thought hit her.

"What will happen once night falls?" The alien memories in her mind rose up briefly with images of the man who had turned her…feeding. She pushed them back, but it didn't stop the trembling. Sonja noticed and drew back. Bianca turned to her in a sudden move, and placed both hands on the sides of her small face.

"Sonja, you must promise to stay close to me, and do exactly as I tell you, tonight. Do you understand?" The little girl nodded. Bianca released her.

"Tonight will be dangerous. They…we, will be hungry." She thought out loud now. "I must prepare…" Her thoughts raced.

"Sonja, I need you to run an errand. I need you to fetch Henriech for me,.." She hesitated.

"and Father Tespian." The girl nodded and began to move, but Bianca stopped her.

"Make sure to stay out of the shadows, Sonja; and don't go near Father's chamber for any reason."

"Yes, Bianca." Sonja nodded again.

"It's very important, do you understand?" Bianca looked deep into her sister's cornflower blue eyes. The eyes were solemn, with a hint of fear lurking in the back, that Bianca could only approve of. She released the little girl.

"Go on then…And don't open the door too wide."

Bianca averted her eyes from the thin sliver of daylight that broke into the room as her sister went out. It already seemed a lifetime ago since she had loved the sun. Since she had rolled up her sleeves and tucked her skirts so as to catch every warm ray. The memory of the burning pain in her hand superseded all that.

Though she didn't need them, Bianca lit several candles around the bed chamber, and tidied the room as best she could. The mundane tasks quieted her mind. When the rap of knuckles came to her door, she was at her loom.


	4. Chapter 4

Night fell quickly in the mountains.

Bianca could feel it as the darkness crept through the old fortress. Could feel the painful sunlight disappear on the horizon, as the shadows in the vale deepened and reached out to encompass the surrounding landscape.

It was then that she moved from her chamber.

No torches burned in the hall; Bianca had no need for them. She walked quietly, listening. If all was as she had instructed, no human should be in the corridors tonight. With her new senses she could still sense them though. It was rather like scent, but also like touch as if the heat of their bodies was faintly registering on her skin. The closer she drew the more intense it became. And then the scent of blood hit her.

Bianca had to resist the urge to lurch forward, as hunger like she had never experienced before surged through her.

Around her the stone walls where beginning to change, as she moved deeper into the fortress toward the Keep. The mason work disappearing as the passageway tunneled into the mountain. Torches burned in wall sconces here continually.

No enemy had ever taken the Keep of Wraithburg by force of arms. It was built back into the mountain in an enormous natural cavern, with the only entrance through a pair of iron bound oak doors.

Bianca found the blood right where she hoped it would be in front of the Keep's closed doors. As she had instructed the vat sat covered on the table by the door, with goblets arranged around it.

It had not been easy to get cooperation on this part of the plan. Bianca hoped that she would never have to witness that look of disgust on father Tespian's face again. Henriech the castle steward, loyal soul that he was still looked doubtful, at her instruction to drain the blood from a fattened steer and serve it in the best silver cauldron, with the master's own cup beside it. She had been insistent, however, and as the Lady of Wraithburg for several years since her step mother's death, he accepted her authority.

Despite her craving, Bianca did not hurry to approach the table. She surveyed the setting and made a few adjustments, feeling the need for a particularly nice looking arraignment. Even with the overwhelming smell of the kine's blood, she could still sense the humans beyond the door. Hopefully, the entire population of the fortress, enjoying the feast that she had ordered prepared.

The lightest of treads was all that warned her of the approaching vampires.

Her father, and Markus came into view first, but they were not alone. Three other figures flanked the two men. The most striking of the group a tall, dark haired woman with exotic looking eyes, walked just behind Markus, and carried a small, elegantly crafted crossbow. Bianca recognized the other two walking behind her father as two of his captains.

Then her father spoke, and she had no attention to spare.

"What is the meaning of all this Bianca?"

Bianca bowed her head respectfully, and tried to work moisture into her mouth.

"It is a feast in honor of your recovery, my father." She gestured to the arraignments before her.

"All is prepared for your refreshment."

Her father cocked his head and looked beyond her at the closed doors of the Keep.

"It is generally my practice to feast within the banquet hall rather than the corridor outside."

"My lord, for the sake of those who rely on your protection, I have taken the liberty of providing refreshment here."

"Insolent little minx…" Markus began moving to step forward, but Victor's hand on his arm stopped him.

"This is my domain, Markus!" The lord of Wraithburg snarled. "And you will speak respectfully of my daughter!"

Bianca stood still, waiting. Shock seemed to have paralyzed Markus Corvinnus. Her father mover foreword, and sat at the head of the table, waving his captains to sit also. He nodded to her, and waited. With trembling hands she began filling the goblets from the large vessel.

When everyone was seated, including Markus and his female companion, and had drunk from their cups, Victor turned back to Bianca.

"Very well daughter, you did not bring all this together today, for no other reason than to celebrate my "miraculous" recovery." His lips twisted over the irony. "What have you to say?"

Bianca set her cup down carefully and licked her lips.

"Father, I worry for the safety of my sister Sonja and the other's in the castle now that we have been changed." Her father's eyebrow rose.

"I came very close to biting," She closed her eyes and made herself go on. "Biting Sonja today. And since you must turn most of your warriors, it seems to me that the danger to ordinary humans will soon become very great,"

Victor held his hand up and she stopped.

"As to the situation with your sister, there is no question that she must be turned, and quickly."

Bianca dared to speak without leave.

"My lord, she is very young."

Her father brushed that aside.

"Of what matter is that."

Markus spoke up indolently from his end of the table.

"None what so ever, if you desire for her to remain a child for all eternity." He traced the pattern around a jewel with his finger, and didn't look up.

Victor's eyes narrowed.

"What do you speak of?"

Markus still didn't look up.

"I already told you, immortality; never to grow older, never to die. You shall never change from how you are now." He smiled and took a sip.

"I myself have been in this excellent condition for nearly two hundred years. My father is older than most gods' and still hale. I suspect that when the world eventually destroys itself in fire, he will be there to look on in disapproval."

There was a period of silence as Victor considered this, before Bianca ventured to speak again.

"Father, if the women and children could just be sent away…" She pleaded.

He snapped his head in a vehement negative.

"Don't talk nonsense girl, the fortress would fall apart. Just because we are no longer mortal does not mean we can do without the necessities of life."

"The children at least?" She tried again. He didn't shake his head at once, so she continued.

"I would see to all the details, father…Please." She added at last. The nod when it came, made Bianca sigh with relief, but then her father raised a hand.

"Not Sonja though." Bianca couldn't help the noise of protest, but he ignored it.

"There is not a single noble family I know of that is fit to foster and educate my daughter. Venal, ignorant houses, that hate and envy our family. "

He set his goblet down on the table with a sharp click.

"The church then," Bianca said, speaking quickly. "She could be educated like my mother, with the Sisters of Saint Ursula."

"The church," Victor sneered, but Bianca persisted.

"Just a few years with the sisters. She would be safe; and many accomplished women have spent time in the cloisters."

Her father glared at her a moment before tossing his hand up.

"O very well, a few years shouldn't cause too much damage. Women and their religion." He muttered.

"Is that all you wished to speak with me about Bianca?" He asked sarcastically. She ducked her head, and moved to fill his cup again.

"I hope that the repast has been to your liking, father."

"It's passable." He answered cautiously.

"Livestock." Markus muttered dismissivly. Victor's eyes flashed.

"Livestock it shall remain." He said turning on the other man.

"You may have been able to prey on humans as you roved through the land, but I will not allow my army to become a scourge of the countryside." He picked up his goblet.

"All it would take is one band of peasants attacking during the day, and all that so called immortality would go up in smoke."

Bianca sighed as she felt the tension in herself ease.

"Thank you, father." She breathed. He ignored her, and finished the blood in his cup.

"Very well, now that we have some things settled we shall waste no time in facilitating the change of my warriors." He rose as he spoke, followed quickly by everyone else at the table.

"Night will not last forever." Without a backward glance he headed for the broad oak doors.

Bianca stood by the table as the others moved past. The tall woman alone looked at her in passing, and remarked.

"Well played."


	5. Chapter 5

Hi

Sorry for the long delay. A lot has been going on lately, and I had difficulty writing from Sonja's view point. I'm still not entirely satisfied with this chapter, but it will have to do.

By the way, in case anybody doesn't know, I do not own the Underworld story, or Sonja, Victor, Markus, etc.

Sonja could do little more than pick at the food in front of her. Father Tespian, beside her, occasionally coaxed a bite into her, but showed little appetite himself. Frequently casting nervous glances toward the closed doors of the hall.

Despite the feast most everyone in the hall seemed uneasy. The pipers and players tried, but their tunes did little to lighten the dark mood of the company. People spoke in hushed voices and shifted nervously. Warriors drank, and fingered the hilts of their weapons.

Sonja tried to distract herself by wondering what the other people in the hall were thinking. Hardly any of them could have even an inkling what was going on. It could perhaps be the fact that the doors were bolted that made them uneasy. Or maybe the fact that the seats reserved for Lord Victor and Lady Bianca were empty despite the feast supposedly being in honor of the Lord Victor's recovery.

A loud knock brought instant silence to the hall. The players' music cut off and everyone's eyes swung to the doors.

A second knock quickly followed the first jolting everyone out of their frozen positions. Henriech hauled himself hastily to his feet and called for men to unbolt the door.

Sonja stood with all the others as her father entered, and wondered about the two strangers flanking him. Mostly she looked at her father though. The last time she had seen him, he'd been tossing with fever as Bianca tried to get him to take a draught. The man in front of her striding to the high table was so far removed from that memory that she almost wondered if it was actually she who had been feverish and dreaming.

Ignoring Father Tespian's frail grip on her arm, she stood, and moved toward her father. He was so impressive, her great, warrior, Papa.

He saw her despite the congratulations of the folk in the hall, and opened his arms for her to run into.

"My little bird," He smiled and smoothed her hair. "You grow prettier everyday."

She smiled up at him, pleased at the rare compliment.

"I'm so glad that you are well again Papa." Lord Victor laughed, and carefully freed himself of her arms.

"You're a sweet child, " He turned her around and pushed her gently away.

"Go on back to your seat now, I have some business to attend to."

Sonja was used to this, she turned and skipped back to her place. Only as she sat down did she notice her sister looking at her from the edge of the room near the door. Her expression was very strange, with her face so pale and her lips pressed so tight. Sonja wondered if she was angry, since she had told her to stay away from her father, She remembered this only now, and gave Bianca a sheepish look. Her sister just shook her head, and looked to where their father was beginning to speak.

"My people," Lord Victor began, raising a hand to quiet the suddenly boisterous hall.

"I have led you all these many years, and am very pleased that I have not had to leave you now, so suddenly."

Sonja watched him with as much attention as everyone else in the banquet hall. His tall, impressive figure commanded it. His voice cracked with authority.

"I am especially glad to be well in light of the continued havoc that hellish beast continues to wreak on the countryside. He must be stopped, as soon as may be." He drew a breath as fervent murmurs of agreement flew throughout the hall.

"In light of that..." He raised his voice and the hall went silent again. "We must make preparations for another hunt."

"We're ready, my lord!" One sturdy warrior called out, and was seconded by his companions. Lord Victor silenced them with a stern glance.

"Indeed you are not! We are not hunting some rogue boar or wolf.." Victor gestured at the two strangers standing back against the wall.

"This man, Markus Corvinus, knows and has told me much of this beast. As I had suspected this is no mere animal, but a cursed thing, that was once a man."

Sonja felt a shiver move down her spine, and scooted closer to Father Tespian.

"The demon beast is protected from most weapons, except those made from silver, even with that though, he cannot be killed. We must capture him." The hall was silent, and most faces reflected an expression of dread. Father Tespian made the sign of the cross, as did a few others in the hall.

The stranger, Markus noticed the sign and laughed.

"A few little hand movements aren't going to keep this devil from your door." He sneered. "He doesn't care about priests, or talismans, if he could find a god, he'd likely eat it to, It's all just flesh to him."

A child began to cry somewhere in the hall, Sonja felt like joining it. She looked around for her sister, wishing that she was near enough to hold onto, Bianca stood near the door though looking anxious.

A warrior rose suddenly from the benches and spoke.

"My Lord, I do not mean to speak wrongly, but what chance have we against such a monster."

"Only one!" Lord Victor replied at once. "There is one way in which you can be protected from the beast, but it is not easy." He looked out over the people gathered.

"Markus Corvinus has imparted this protection to me, and it is my wish that all of you receive it as well Except for the children, the very aged, and the infirm." He held his hands up to quiet the sudden noise in the hall.

"Silence! Did I not just warn you that what must be done is dangerous. Only the strong can survive the change." He glared at his gathered subjects until there was complete quiet.

"I will take no argument! Every child, pregnant woman, and old person must be gone from this castle before dawn."

Shock held sway in the hall. No one could speak, they could only stare dumbly at their lord. Sonja wanted to run to her father and refuse to leave his side, but she couldn't move. Fright paralyzed her as she stared at the lord Victor. A barely contained, wild, fury seemed to emanate from him. She felt frozen like a wild hare , hoping to escape the notice of hunter, under his glare.

At last, seemingly satisfied that no one would dare question him, Victor nodded.

"Now, let it be done."

Without a backward glance he strode from the hall followed closely by the two strangers.

Sonja was the first to move after her father's departure. With no heed for dignity she jumped up and ran to her sister, buried her head in Bianca's side, and bawled.


	6. Chapter 6

Bianca almost felt tired. It wasn't tired like she'd felt before in her life; none of her muscles ached, and her eyes showed no inclination to shut, but tired was the best word that she could put to it. Also her new found senses told her that dawn was approaching. The fortress, meanwhile, was in chaos.

No one dared argue with Lord Victor, of course, but fulfilling his order to roust every child, elderly, sick, and pregnant person from the castle in the middle of the night was clearly impossible. Everyone told Bianca that, nagging, pleading, cajoling. She did it anyways.

It was hard. Sleeping babes had to be roused, the ill bundled up. Every torch in the fortress blazed, and every wagon and handcart was put into service.

"Where do we go?" Was on the lips of many.

"Outside the gates for now, as far as possible." She could only answer. "I'll give you more instructions tomorrow."

They trundled out, cold, bewildered, exhausted. She counted them to make sure they were all there, and groaned. Henriech leaning heavily on his staff nearby looked over wearily; mute with fatigue.

"There are still a few left in the castle." Bianca sighed. The faithful steward sagged against his stick.

"Probably curled up to sleep somewheres. We could find them better in the morning." His tone wasn't hopeful; he had after all been repeating some version of this refrain all night.

"It'd be easier to load these stores in the morning."

"If we'd just wait till morning we could save a few of these torches."

"Someone's going to break there neck in this dark."

She'd pushed, coaxed, and out right commanded. Overruling common sense in there eyes till they shuffled like cattle through the gate, casting resentful glances behind.

Oh, but it could be so much worse she knew. Every one of those bleary eyes would see the day, and God willing, many days to come. Those fragile, luscious smelling children would have a chance to grow.

Bianca kept as far as possible away from the children. Even breathing carefully through her mouth, the sweet scent of their blood set her body quivering with thirst. The sick and aged were much easier.

"We'll have to do another sweep of the castle." She decided quickly, mindful of the sun's relentless creep toward dawn.

A quick snap of orders sent a pair of pages off to the stables and kitchens. Bianca headed for the towers. Urgency drove her to fairly fly through the Keep, senses extended as best she was able for any sign of human heat, or sound. The towers were empty though, as were all the corridors, and every other crevice that she could think to check. She was just turning to retrace her steps to the gate when the faintest sound of voices brushed her ear. Without a second thought she turned to investigate.-

Wraithburg's tiny chapel to the Christian God had been a cellar before Bianca's mother, the lady Melinda, had arrived to be the bride of Lord Victor, with her own personal priest. Bianca couldn't recall a day when her mother was well enough that she didn't slip down the stairs into its candle lit confines to pray.

The voices were coming from down there. Bianca slowed as she got closer and recognized who the speakers were. There was Father Tespian, of course, though his voice was barely audible as a whisper. The one doing most of the talking, was Markus Corvinnus, though. Bianca felt a shiver of dread at hearing his smooth, arrogant voice, and his words did nothing to reassure her. She could hear him quite clearly as she hesitated at the top of the steps to the chapel.

"You know I have always greatly despised priests." Markus spoke in a seemingly conversational tone. "Not just your religion either, all priests. You all seem like such self righteous asses." If Tespian had a reply to that Markus didn't wait for it.

"You're all so arrogant and sure of yourselves; that your God is the right one!" Bianca bit her lip, hearing the edge in the immortal's tone. He seemed to recover himself though as his next words were more sardonic than angry.

"It's almost amusing actually, all this fuss and bother about souls and gods. Did you know there was a priest who once assured me that lightening would surely fall from heaven and smite me for defiling a holy place?"

Bianca moved softly down a step at a time, trying to work out a way of extricating father Tespian. Her instincts told her that Markus would not take kindly to her interference.

Down below, Tespian's voice murmured something. Markus's reply was a bark of angry laughter.

"You should save your prayers for those who need them…" The immortal's voice lowered slightly. "As for that other priest… Well, I waited around long enough to see if any lightening was coming, and when it didn't make an appearance, I sent that old priest right on up to his maker to see what was taking so long."

A sudden image, like a memory of the murder, burst in Bianca's mind at that moment, so that she had to grip the wall beside her and bite her lip. In her private moment of turmoil, she missed what Tespian replied. The sudden anger rising in her also disregarded Markus's next words. In a few steps she was at the door of the chapel and pushing it open firmly.

"Father Tespian, my father ordered that you and all the other old people in the castle be out by dawn!" Bianca spoke sharply to the old priest, who was white as a sheet and clutching tightly to himself, the little box that always held the communion Host. She very carefully did not look into the shadows where she knew Markus was.

"The sun is very nearly up, so why are you in here dawdling?"

Father Tespian was obviously incapable of coherent speech, but his eyes shone with grateful relief. At that moment Markus moved out of the shadows and very deliberately into her line of sight.

"Pray, don't scold, Lady Bianca," his smooth, mocking voice intruded. "The good Pater and I were just having a most stimulating discussion, and lost track of the time." He smiled widely at the priest, who shuddered. "Surely, my lady, Lord Victor wouldn't object to the priest staying for just a little longer. After all we are on Holy ground, so what danger could there be." He turned his smile to her. "After all good theological discussions are so rare; they really ought to be savored." Bianca hated the way that the word 'savored' made her react, and how horribly appetizing, and prey like, her old friend seemed. That only made her angrier though, and her next words to him were particularly frosty.

"You have not been among us long; otherwise, you would know that my Father expects all his commands to be carried out to the letter…" She paused for a defiant moment before adding. "My lord Corvinnus."

The other man's eyes narrowed and for briefly shone with an uncanny blue light. Bianca stifled the urge to tremble. But then Markus stepped back, and smiled.

"Maybe another time then, after all I'm a very patient man."

Bianca nodded, resolving to worry about him later, and turned back to her old priest. She could feel dawn coming.

"We don't have time." She snapped as Tespian reached for an item by his feet. With a jerk she pulled him toward the stairs ignoring his gasp of surprise, and pain.

"Bianca!" He wheezed as she towed him behind her. "My lady, I can't see! Please slow down."

"We're almost there." Bianca tried to support the old man, and ended up practically carrying him. The gate was near, but she could feel heat as the morning sun's rays began to turn the darkness a mere gray

Henrieche was lingering near the gate, obviously unsure what he should be doing now that everyone was out of the castle. His face lit with relief to see her approach.

"My lady, I wasn't sure whether you was wanting the gates to be closed." He asked as she hurriedly shoved Tespian at him.

"Yes."

"Well, I'm going to have to rustle up a couple of lads then…" He started to go on but she stopped him.

"No need, just go see that everyone is taken care of for the day." Then, not waiting for his reply she took hold of the large oaken panel, and pushed it firmly closed.

Only when she was back in the dark interior of the fortress could she relax, and breathe deeply. There was no time for rest now however.

"Lady Bianca." A young man, with a sword strapped to his hip, made a bid for her attention.

"Pardon me lady, but Lord Victor sent me to inquire whether the preparations he ordered have been made ready?"

With effort Bianca drew her mind away from it's contemplation of what to do with the people now huddled outside the gates. That was tonight's worry, she told herself firmly, and focused on the young soldier's question.

"You may tell my lord father, that all should be in readiness for him within the half hour." She sighed. "I shall go myself to inspect the work though, presently."

"Thank you, my lady, I shall inform Lord Viktor." The man bowed quickly, and departed, as Bianca fought to hold onto her composure.

She hated the surges of flaming blood lust that seemed to come from no where. She had been fine before he bowed, but for no reason that she could fathom, she had felt the strongest urge to sink her teeth into his throat right at the moment he leaned foreword. She took a shaky breath, and carefully unclenched her fists. "The preparations" she reminded herself.

Lord Viktor desired, of course, to smooth the transition for his army of already ruthless soldiers, into immortal warriors. "Deathdealers." Bianca thought, and shuddered. War had always been her father's passion. He excelled at it, amassing lands and tribute, and he guarding them both jealously.

Bianca had never thought of it much, her duties as mistress of Wraithburg consuming all her attention. Now, was different though, what would her father do with an army of immortals? It was too much for her to contemplate. "Another worry, for another day." She thought, ending the moment of introspection abruptly. Straightening up, she headed for the cavernous great hall.

The stench of animals and blood was thick in the passage leading to the Great Hall. It almost masked the scent of the humans standing about, their expressions showing how tired and irritable they were.

A bovine bellow caused a general diversion of attention, as Bianca approached the big doors that were once again closed tight.

"What's going on in there?" A few voices called to her as she slipped past the door. She could only shake her head.

The smell in the corridor was nothing like what filled the great hall. Bianca stood for a moment just inside trying to acclimate herself, and fight down the instinctive lust that the sight and smell of all that blood seemed to arouse.

In the middle of the torch lit hall a small sampling of Lord Viktor's herd stood, uneasily. Bianca had picked the lot of them as the choicest specimens of cattle, for the day's needs. She frowned at the mess they had made of the hall floor.

"My lady, we have the vats filled as you requested." A burly, blood spattered man, informed her as he strode to meet her. Behind him several other men grimly manhandled the large carcass of a drained bull. He gestured at the grisly scene.

"What should we do with all the meat? The cold house won't hold it all."

Bianca turned her eyes reluctantly to the pile of stiffening carcasses. It was a grotesque waste.  
Only a phenomenal feast would require that many cattle, and after this day none of those in the castle would be interested in such a feast. She sighed.

"Get more men; haul them out to the main gate, and tell whoever is outside to do what they like with them." She paused and thought a second more. "Only tell them to save the skins for me."

"Immortal or not we'll still need shoes." She thought as the man hurried off to do her bidding.

To the men keeping the remaining cows she called with some exasperation.

"For goodness sake, get those beasts out of the middle of the hall." She waved her arms. "Put them in the back, where they're a bit more out of sight."

The small herd rumbled into motion at the prodding of their drivers. Bianca shook her head at the state of the floor. It would have to be cleaned to some extent, but the rushes were beyond ruined.

At that moment her father threw open the door.

His eyes blazed an excited blue, as he stepped into the hall and surveyed the activity. When his eyes reached her she could see that he was not displeased.

"Well daughter, are we ready?"

"The vats are filled father, though I was just having the meat hauled away." She answered, as the Markus and his woman, and her father's newly turned chieftains entered.

"Very well then, we will begin as soon as that is accomplished." Lord Viktor gestured to his men. "Bring my chair down here, by the door."

With Lord Viktor near tiredness seemed to lift from the men's shoulders. They hurried

To their tasks with swiftness, only a familiarity with his impatient temper could engender. The huge ornate chair, that was more like a throne was brought carefully, though with much grunting, down to the area right in front of the door

Bianca was relieved that her father was taking over. She knew nothing of what Markus and her father planned to do, but she knew that she did not want to be a part of it.

"Father," she ventured as the last dead beef was dragged out of the great hall.

"May, I go? Surely, you don't need me for anything further in this?"

"On the contrary," Markus's smooth voice cut in. "I'm sure your assistance will be invaluable." Bianca hid a surge of anger at the petty spite in his eyes. Viktor looked at him irritably, but concurred.

"You will be responsible for seeing to the new ones as they wake up from the change. Amelia here will assist you." He waved a hand toward the woman standing by Markus's side. Both she and Markus stiffened at the gesture. The woman regarded Victor coldly.

"Do not order me around like a serving wench, Lord Viktor." Her voice was low and faintly accented, but there was no mistaking the imperial nature of her bearing. "I overlook your arrogance this once, for Markus's sake."

Bianca held her breath as her father regarded the strange woman carefully for a moment. Then to her surprise he nodded.

"Very well, my lady Amelia; if it pleases you, your assistance in this matter would be most welcome."

Bianca stared, unsure whether her senses were deceiving her. Even Markus seemed unsettled by the interchange. The woman, Amelia, simply nodded her acceptance.

Viktor brought them all back to the moment with a quick movement of impatience.

"The day goes on; let us be about this, shall we!" He signaled his men near the door.

"Markus, are you ready?"

"Of course," The red haired immortal's eyes gleamed blue.

Bianca wrapped her arms around herself despite knowing that the chill she felt was imaginary. The hall was empty but for six immortals, though as she watched a man, one of her father's warriors was let in from the crowded hallway outside. He glanced around at the company, a trifle nervously before bowing to his liege lord. Victor nodded in turn.

"Kraven, do you serve me in this?"

"In anything, my lord." The warrior said, obviously bracing for the worst. He was still surprised at Viktor's next words.

"Remove your tunic then, and sit on the bench." Shirtless, the man sat down, and Markus moved to him.

"Sit still lad and this will all be over with soon." Even the comforting words sounded mocking from him, Bianca thought, and then gasped. In a move so quick, she could hardly credit it. Markus darted foreword, and securing the man's arms, bit down on his shoulder right at the base of his neck. The movement was too quick; Bianca had no way to prepare herself for the fiery surge of desire that raced suddenly through her veins. She wanted to join Markus, sink her teeth into the pale, warm flesh, and exult in the weakening struggles of her prey. What kept her in place was the speed with which Markus pulled back. The bite took hardly more than a few seconds, and the victim hardly had a chance to cry out before it was over.

Kraven stumbled to his feet, clutching his shouldering, and yelling incoherently, but only for a moment before he collapsed. They all stared at the prone figure for a moment. Viktor spoke first.

"One hopes things will smooth out as we go on."


	7. Chapter 7

I want to thank everyone who's been reading this for their patience. I am a cursedly slow writer, made more so by my hectic schedule.

I did precious little editing on this, so please excuse the floundering prose.

Despite her cramped and uncomfortable position, Sonja had almost dozed off when her father arrived. His voice rose above the constant shuffle and lowing of the cattle, causing her to jerk fully awake, and hit her head on the side of her tiny hiding place. She winced as she tried to shift to a more comfortable position for her almost numb limbs. She didn't remember being this cramped the last time she'd used the tunnel.

With some effort she turned her attention from her tingling legs, to check on what was going on in the Great Hall. Cautiously, she squirmed forward, and pulled the banner that hid her tunnel aside, just enough for her to peek around the edge.

Apparently the butchering was over. Sonja wondered how many had ended up being used, though not nearly as much as she wondered about the large vats filled with blood sitting near the dais. Things had changed so much since this morning; she hardly knew where to start asking questions. Not that anyone would answer them. Bianca was acting so strangely, that it frightened Sonja.

She felt a bit of guilt over disobeying her sister, and tricking her old nurse. Bianca had been absolutely unmoved by all of her pleadings to stay in the castle, and had put her under the charge of old Helena. The old woman was resolutely loyal to Bianca, and normally more than a match for her young mistress. However, it had been a long day and an eventful night, so when she was convinced that Sonja was sleeping quietly, she couldn't very well help dropping off herself. Slipping back into the castle had been simple from there.

Looking down from her hiding spot she had a great view of what was going on in the Hall, the animal noises made it hard to hear though. She could see her sister talking to their father, and the two strangers. Then another man came in. Sonja thought she recognized him, but there were so many warriors in her father's war band, and they were always coming and going, so it was hard to tell. She thought she remembered this one pestering the kitchen girls though. She hardly had time to wonder what her father wanted with him, when the stranger, Markus, bit him.

Sonja clasped her hand over her mouth to try and stifle her own gasp, suddenly grateful for the ever present animal noises. Below strange things were happening. The young man was now being picked off the floor by two of her father's captains. He looked dead, as they carried him to the side off the hall, and laid him on a bench. Behind them Bianca walked carrying what looked like a wine pitcher and cup. The image of the butchers came unbidden into Sonja's mind, of them draining the deep red heart blood from the veins of the cows and bulls, and emptying it into the great copper mead vats. Obviously it was for some potion, Sonja had concluded. Was more blood needed now? Human blood?

As she watched her sister approach the prone man, she felt her hands tighten into fists, and bit on the knuckle of the one near her mouth. Surely Bianca wouldn't do such a thing, drain the blood from a man. It would be black magic; surely her father wouldn't allow such a thing. Unless he was bewitched. Sonja looked at the strange figure of Markus Corvinnus. A sorcerer? Even as she watched another man entered, and received the same bizarre treatment.

She hardly dared to look back and see what Bianca was doing. How could she bear to see her sister do something awful, even if she was bewitched...Still, she had to see.

Bianca was kneeling by the man, but he seemed to be recovering, in any case he was sitting up. Sonja gave a sigh of relief to see that her sister was offering what was in the pitcher to the warrior. She felt suddenly ashamed of herself. How could she have thought that her good sister would ever do such wickedness?

It was still very strange though. Sonja took her fist out of her mouth and settled herself to watch. More men, and some women came in, one at a time. Each was bitten by the strange red haired man, and then carried to the benches at the side of the hall to be revived by her sister Bianca, with a draught from the pitcher. Sonja did, of course, assume that the pitcher held wine, till about the sixth person, when the pitcher had to be refilled. By then the first man was on his feet and helping carry the more recently bitten people. Sonja saw her sister beckon him closer and hand him the pitcher. It took her a few seconds to understand when he moved toward the brimming copper vats. Then she had to fight down the sick feeling in her stomach as she watched him dip in and pull out the now bloody vessel.

Sonja wished that she wasn't seeing theses things. She wished that she had stayed were her sister told her. She wished that she would wake up, and things would be back the way they had been that morning.

She realized suddenly that she was crying. Great salty tears were spilling from her eyes, and tickling her chin, but she couldn't look away from the scene before her.

More and more people came into the hall, and Markus kept biting till Sonja hardly noticed anymore, and Bianca kept serving out her grisly wine. Actually, she wasn't the only one anymore, others once awakened from there strange stupor, were moving around with blood filled vessels of there own.

Sonja watched them, the awakened ones, it was hard to tell at first but the more she watched, the more she noticed the difference. It was subtle, but the people who were bitten and drank the blood, weren't like the ones weren't like they were when they first walked through the great hall's wooden doors. There movements were smother, quicker; they stood straighter and yet looser. Like cats, Sonja finally concluded, they reminded her of the hunting cat her father had once had. The beautiful animal had been picked up by her father in some raid, but Victor had never been able to tame it, and after it had killed two of his favorite hunting dogs, and lamed a horse, he'd shot it.

Sonja dozed off. Nothing much new had gone on for a while, since the last of the cattle was butchered. The changed people apparently needed a lot of blood. She guessed that most of the people left in the castle must have been bitten by now. Half asleep, she wondered if Markus's jaws weren't getting tired by now.

A flutter of breeze in the still air of the tunnel roused her to consciousness. Cramped into the tunnel, her muscles seemed to scream at her as soon as she stirred. Despite herself, Sonja groaned. The sound was unnaturally loud in the secret tunnel, and she clapped her hand over her mouth a second too late. From beyond the banner she heard a hiss.

Terror paralyzed Sonja, as she wondered about that hiss. Nothing in that hall should hiss, her sleepy brain tried to tell her, but she had heard a hiss. Which must mean monsters; another part of her brain worked out. Her body mean while was already trying to squirm back down the tunnel.

The banner was flipped aside, and a face peered in, blue eyes alight. Sonja was too panicked to know if she recognized the man, she just kept trying to get away. Her limbs were stiff though, they wouldn't move fast enough, and the man's hand shot out, and snagged her hair.

She didn't try to be quiet now. She wasn't sure what kind of thing this monster man would do to her, but her nightmares were much to close to the surface. She screamed, and struggled, but it didn't seem to have any affect on her assailant except to strengthen his grip. He pulled her from her tunnel with no more effort than a boy pulling a rabbit from its hole.

Sonja was hysterical now, as she dangled by her hair. The floor was still many feet below, though her captor didn't seem overly bothered by that. He pulled her up to face him, ignoring her best efforts to fight him off. His eyes blazed like twin chips of blue ice, and then he smiled. Sonja choked on her scream. Shear, solid terror lodged in her throat, and turned her as mute as a deer in the hunter's sights.

Teeth, long, sharp teeth, showed in that smile, and they got longer and sharper as she watched. It seemed like everything about the man was getting bigger, or maybe closer. Sonja felt her mind closing down, her vision narrowed to a tunnel. She had just enough consciousness to register an impact before she blacked out.

Bianca heard Rudrick's hiss of discovery.

Very nearly everyone in the castle was now in the Great Hall, milling about, getting used to the new state of their bodies. For the most part people were adjusting very well, only a few seemed to be struggling with the blood issue. The young men seemed eager to test their new strength and invulnerability. Climbing the walls was something one of them had discovered, and suddenly there were more people on the walls than the floor.

Bianca paid them no mind as she went on with her work of reviving the newly changed, except to snap at some whose rough play nearly landed them on her charges. She was thinking about the various changes that the castle would need to accommodate the new changes to its residents, when she heard the hiss.

She wasn't sure what drew her attention, but she wasn't the only one. There was a sudden hush in the Hall, as every head turned to see Ruderick draw a small figure from a hole behind a banner.

For Bianca the world seemed to grind to a sudden halt, as she suddenly remembered the existence of the tunnel behind the banner, which she hadn't been able to fit through in ages. With sick horror she recalled the last time she had used the tunnel, when she had shown it to Sonja, and they had giggled over spying on the grown ups with it. There was no doubt in her mind that it was Sonja, Ruderick had discovered, spying on them. Bianca mentally flogged herself, "Fool, of course, Sonja wouldn't just leave with her nurse without knowing why."

Sonja was kicking and screaming in Ruderick's grip, inadvertently driving the predator instinct in him, and all the others, wild. Bianca could feel it rise in herself like some strange driving, heat. It didn't hold a candle to her protection instinct though. She moved without thought, so fast that Ruderick didn't even see her coming. She didn't think about finding hand holds on the wall, her body just managed it while her will was focused on Sonja. A blow from her hand snapped his head back, and loosened his hold on the little girl's limp body. Bianca caught her, and dropped to the floor easily, and with perfect balance.

Sonja's face was pinched and pale, though her muscles were limp in a dead faint. Bianca inspected her carefully for injury.

A growl drew her attention away from her sister. Ruderick was up, glaring, and wild with predatory instinct. In fact, everyone in the room seemed suddenly electrified by the sight and smell of the lone human in the room. Bianca knew what their instincts were telling them, she felt her own prodding her. The remembered taste of real human blood, that Markus had passed on to them, adding fuel to the fire.

"Back, all of you!" Bianca commanded as forcefully as she was able. To free one arm she hoisted Sonja onto her shoulder.

"Ruderick! Get control of yourself man!" She put every ounce of authority she had into her words. "We are not animals! Do you want to be monsters? This is a child, a little girl, for pity sake!" She looked at the surrounding faces, and suddenly felt sorry for the people. It was so new to them, even more so than it was for her. It hardly seemed real to them. Even the blood; which didn't taste like blood, and was served from an elaborate wine pitcher to further distanced it from its grisly origins. They didn't know what their change had cost them.

Bianca saw mixtures of confusion on their faces, some even looked horrified. Ruderick seemed to deflate, his shoulders hunching as his eyes faded back to their more normal shade, and his teeth shortened.

"What is the meaning of this?" A voice from outside the circle of faces thundered. Lord Victor pushed his way forward, and Bianca turned to face him.

"What is that child doing in here?" He demanded. "You were supposed to get all the children out of the castle."

Bianca could feel Sonja stirring against her as she struggled for the words to answer her father. Victor was too impatient to listen anyway.

"You claim to care so much for your sister, and yet you couldn't even check to make sure she was out of danger." He gave a disgusted sniff.

Bianca felt words boil up in her throat, but locked her teeth against them. Excuses would not satisfy her father. He didn't accept weakness in himself, and he wouldn't accept it from her either...She bowed her head under her father's disapproval.

"Forgive me father, I had forgotten about the tunnel."

He snorted; "That hole should have been blocked up ages ago." He turned back to her. "Get your sister out of here, and back to her nurse. This is no place for a child."

Bianca had to bite her lip to keep herself from speaking, but he was already turning away, going back to where Markus was standing smiling broadly at the whole scene. Bianca didn't know if the man merely enjoyed seeing her discomfort, or if the build up of human blood from all the changing was making him a bit drunk. In either case she felt like smacking his stupid smirk into the wall.

Stifling the urge to growl, she carried Sonja out of the Hall.


	8. Chapter 8

Bianca luxuriated in the feel of the fresh air on her face, and the rare quiet. All day, cooped up in the dark rooms of the castle, with her fathers army of young warriors now immortal and eager to test themselves had been quite the trial. Bianca had tried to organize and get things done, but being limited to the handful of corridors and rooms that connected and could be kept completely dark, had made her efforts mostly futile.

Sonja, at least had made good use of the day. Bianca turned from the window to look back at her younger sister, who lay, sleeping peacefully on her bed. The moonlight glinted softly on the little girl's fair hair. It was nice to watch her sleep, monsters forgotten. Bianca was loath to wake her.

She had been more than a little hysterical earlier when she came out of her faint. Bianca had carried her as far from the Great hall as possible, but that wasn't much comfort. Lacking a great deal of choices, she had sent Sonja to her bedchamber with the promise to provide a full explanation later.

Bianca sighed, thinking of that promise. What could she tell her sister that wouldn't just frighten her more?

Sonja stirred, and opened her eyes.

"Yanca?"

"It's me, little one." Bianca answered, moving to the bed, and brushing hair from her sister's forehead. Sonja shivered.

"It's cold in here."

"I opened the window." Bianca apologized. "Sorry."

Sonja pulled the coverlet around her while Bianca shut the window.

"Is everyone still in the Hall?" She asked, and Bianca heard the slight tremor of fear in her voice. Bianca moved back and sat next to her on the bed.

"Probably not, dearest." She hesitated a moment. "And we'll need to leave soon."

"Leave?" Sonja's voice quavered.

"You're going to be going away from Wraithburg for a while, to a nice place where you'll be safe." Bianca tried to reassure her.

"Are you going with me?" Sonja asked. Bianca hesitated.

"I will be taking you there, but then I have to come back…"

"No!" Sonja reached out of her blanket and hugged her sister's arm. Bianca gasped at the sudden heat. It took her a second to recover her voice.

"Sonja, I won't be able to stay in places like the convent now."

"Did Markus bite you?" Bianca bit her lip; Sonja's voice was tiny, and her face hidden in the voluminous cover.

"Yes, dearest."

"And you drank…blood?"

It took Bianca a couple tries before she could manage that answer.

"Yes."

"No." Her sister whispered.

"Oh, Sonja." Bianca gathered the girl, bundled covers and all into her arms.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry… " She couldn't think of anything else to say. What would it matter that she hadn't had a choice. She certainly wasn't going to say anything about how blood tasted different now.

"Did it hurt?" Sonja asked after a moment, the question surprising Bianca. She thought back.

"Honestly, I can't remember. I don't think so."

"Will Markus bite me?"

Bianca put a hand to her forehead; this wasn't the conversation she'd been hoping to have with her sister. She tried to hedge.

"Well no, you're going to the convent that my mother went to when she was little." The silence that Sonja gave her made it clear that her sister had seen through at least some of her diversion. She labored on anyway.

"My mother loved it there; she used to tell me about the gardens and the orchards, and the nuns that taught her remedies."

"Father is going to be able to kill the monster wolf now, isn't he?" Sonja broke in. "That's why he let Markus change all his men."

Bianca made an effort not to swallow her tongue. Her sister was not slow, that was for sure.

"Capture actually, but yes."

"So, this was a good thing, to help people?" Sonja looked at her with almost desperation in her eyes. Bianca felt trapped.

"It…will… help some people." She agreed finally.

"You're not monsters then." The little girl stated, as if to set it firmly in her mind.

"That other man, who grabbed me, was just a…accident." She shuddered, but seemed determined to convince herself. Bianca shut her own eyes at the memory, but nodded. It was just as well to think of it like that.

"That's why you and all the other children have to go; because we don't want any accidents."

"How soon do we have to leave?" Sonja asked, finally almost sounding like her normal self. Bianca set her back onto the bed beside her.

"Well, I've already had your things packed." She smiled ruefully. "So as soon as you're ready."

Sonja took a deep breath and nodded, then threw the covers off and hopped up.

"Oo the floor's cold." She bounced from foot to bare foot, and despite herself, Bianca had to laugh.

"Go put on your stockings, you silly thing. I put them and a warmer frock, out for you."

With her sister dressing Bianca let out a careful breath. She hadn't realized how worried she'd been about Sonja's reaction to all of this. Of course, there was much more that Sonja still deserved to know, but for now she was content. Bianca decided that would do.


	9. Chapter 9

Bianca was miserable.

The measure of her world was a rocking, swaying, creaking, box that she could neither stand up in nor stretch out and lay in. And the heat! Bianca could feel the daylight outside the thin walls of the coach. In her imagination it seemed to buzz, and sizzle against the wood and canvas that blocked it's progress to her.

Though the interior of the coach was as dark as pitch, Bianca's skin felt as burnt as if she'd been spending her days in the fields in high summer.

She stifled a groan, as the coach jolted through a hole in the road.

It wasn't just the physical discomfort that made her days a living nightmare. She had to constantly fight back her fears of the coach tipping over or, losing a wheel. There was always a chance of bandits even with such a large and well armed party as this. Which all might mean a risk of her being exposed to sunlight.

There was nothing to distract her either. Alone in the blacked out carriage until the sun set, she was prisoner of her own making.

Shifting in a vain attempt to get a little more comfortable, Bianca calculated how long until dark fall. It was one of those little games that she had invented for herself to fill the days of traveling. Her enhanced senses could give her a fairly good idea of where the sun was, but her time sense tended to confuse things since it seemed like hours were passing, instead of minutes.

Still, an hour or so till sunset, she judged. She was wildly happy that the days were getting shorter as winter approached.

Outside her horse drawn shell, the rest of the company rode as bundled up as possible, against the chill late autumn breezes. All that was left of her father's mortal army, saved especially to escort his one mortal daughter to her fosterage, was thirty riders. Sonja rode with her nurse in the cart ahead, or at least she was supposed to, Bianca didn't doubt that she actually spent most of her time, skipping around the slow moving vehicles or perched on the backs of the cart horses. Sonja was taking the journey much better than her sister.

Of course, there had been no chance that they could travel together during the day, despite her sister's unwillingness to be separated from her. Bianca had tried her best to explain to Sonja that she had certain needs that she, Bianca, didn't have any more, and the risk of sun exposure was practically a certainty when Sonja needed to go outside every once in a while. Still, she missed her sister.

There was so little time left, before they must part for years. Bianca intended to give her sister as much time as possible in the sun, to grow and live. Defying their father wasn't really an option, though Bianca had briefly considered sending her sister into hiding. The most she could hope was to delay the change, and maybe ease the transition. In the mean time the separation from her little, half sister would continue to hurt.

With a sigh she leaned her head back against the seat, and closed her eyes. It brought no rest. According to Markus, the day was usually a time for rest, and even sleep for their kind, but she had yet to find it so. How could one sleep with that blasted, beating heat, just outside; and the noise of a large riding company? Thirty men, plus children and their nurse maid, plus a few assorted animals, including a small pack of dogs, equaled enough noise to keep even the undead awake. Bianca smiled slightly to herself at her own feeble joke.

The best thing was to think of caves; deep cool ones, like the ones behind the Great Hall at Wraithburg. Or of night itself… even better. Bianca let her mind wander.

The coach rattling to a stop jerked Bianca out of her light, half doze. There were a few taps at the well covered door and the voice of her driver spoke.

"The sun has set, my Lady, would you like me to uncover the door?"

Bianca sat up eagerly, but checked her own sense of the sun before answering.

"Yes, Tance, thank you."

There was a sound of rustling canvas as the man began rolling up the heavy oil cloth that was draped over the entire coach. After a moment the door opened.

"My lady."

Bianca was more than ready to disembark.

"Again, thank you." She said, letting the man help her down, though she really didn't need it. That was one thing that she had to appreciate about this altered body of hers, aches and pains were truly non existent. Even the tenderness of her skin from the day, faded after a few minutes in true dark.

Around her the company moved, efficiently setting up a camp. Bianca looked through the bustle for her sister, though she hardly needed to bother, as Sonja came rushing up to her almost immediately.

"Bianca, the men found a deer." Her sister gushed. "A big buck; and I got to see the hunt!" The girl was practically ecstatic.

Bianca hid her frown. "And how was that?"

"Oh, I was riding behind Robb when he just burst out of the bushes at us. Then, of course, the dogs went wild, and we had to chase it." Bianca listened to her recount the hunt. She could see and smell the deer now, already slung over a camp spit and cooking. She felt a little pang of disappointment, it would have been nice to not have to hunt on her own tonight.

Sonja's tone abruptly changed to more of a whisper, and she tugged Bianca arm so that she leaned down to catch her sister's words.

"We saved the blood for you." Bianca jerked in surprise and started to speak, but Sonja was still bubbling on.

"Robb and Ghreven did the butchering, and I told them that they should save it for pudding." This time Bianca couldn't contain herself.

"Pudding! Sonja…?"

Sonja was unruffled.

"Mistress Klein used to make a pudding with pig blood."

Bianca opened her mouth, shut it, and then opened it again.

"Well, I hope the men don't look forward to their pudding too much." She was very thirsty, Sonja seemed to guess this.

"It's in a water skin, over there." The little girl made a broad gesture indicating the edge of the camp where it touched the edge of the forest. Bianca looked at her sister then back the way she'd pointed, and came to her decision.

"Thank you for the thought, but when I get back we are going to have a talk about you not staying with the wagon." Bianca turned away from her sister's suddenly wary expression, and allowed herself a small smile.

Most of the camp was too busy with horses or children to notice as she made her way along the edge of the firelight. The smell of roast meat filled the air, as did the chatter of those waiting for their dinner. Over the days of traveling, Bianca felt she had gained a good measure of control over her new instincts. Being near children no longer caused her pain, at least. Still, it was better, she'd found, to satisfy her cravings quickly, and get it over with, rather than chance a breakdown.

The water skin was where Sonja had pointed. Bianca could smell it long before she saw it, and tasted it. Gamey, but that wasn't a problem. A little cooler than she would have liked, but all in all better than having to go out and hunt it herself. She sipped from the skin, and regarded the night around her. It was very dark once the sun set in these woods, and only the faintest sliver of moon shown in the sky. Even her eyes strained a little to see among the multiple shadows of trees.

It was very still, the breeze rustling through the leaves, and the chatter around the fire, were the only sounds she heard. She frowned at this, finding it disturbing for some reason, and listened harder. Surely, some small creatures, and night birds should be moving about, but nothing rustled that she could hear. The silence in the woods was making her edgy. She swallowed the last of what was in the skin, while scanning the forest, her back to the campfire, every sense on alert.

A slight wind change, only the barest of breeze from another corner, alerted her. The scent seemed to explode in her mind, a mixture of animal fur, blood, filth, and some sharp tang that raised the hair on the back of her neck, and made her teeth lengthen in a snarl.

From the depths of the dark woods came several answering growls.

Shapes were suddenly moving through the darkness. Terrifyingly fast, and bigger than mere men they exploded from the forest underbrush. Bianca stumbled a step back, and then spun toward the campfire.

"Attack!" She screamed. "We're under attack!"

She could hear the pursuit behind her, as she sprinted back toward the fire, and now scrambling soldiers. The heavy sound of breathing behind her choked suddenly as several warriors let loose with arrows. Bianca didn't look back, but something in her knew that mere arrows would not keep this creature down.

The women and children were milling in a panicked group by the fire when Bianca came to a stop by it.

"Get fire, grab a weapon. Put all the children in the middle." She ordered, snatching a burning branch and thrusting it into another woman's hand. Around them the men at arms rushed to form a defensive ring, and growls grew louder. Bianca grabbed another brand and swung around in a desperate search for her sister. Sonja was there, white faced and holding onto a screaming toddler.

"Sonja, stay close to me."

A scream from one of the men, and an even louder roar reverberated around the forest clearing, causing Bianca's heart to jump into her throat. For the first time Bianca made herself look at what was attacking them. In the flickering fire glow, shapes of nightmare danced and leapt. Huge hairy shapes. Bianca caught glimpses of dog muzzles and teeth, claw tipped hands and feet, monsters. And there were more and more screams as the warriors fell.

A shriek higher pitched than the others drew Bianca's horrified gaze to see a woman, heavily pregnant, one of the castle cooks, struggling toward the fire, behind her a monster loomed.

"No, Meeha!" She screamed, and without thinking darted toward the doomed woman. The creature was faster. In a sudden move, it clamped its jaws down on the poor woman's shoulder. Her agonized scream had barely begun, when it shook its muzzle, and the resulting whiplash broke her neck.

Rage filled Bianca, more than she had ever imagined she could feel. It swept over her washing all fear away. With a scream of fury she bore down on the monster, surprising it as it made ready to further savage its prey. Swinging the burning piece of firewood like a club she struck the beast across the jaw, shattering her weapon in an explosion of burning fragments. Gratifyingly, it also knocked the creature back a ways. It shook its head in a half stunned manner, and then looked back at her. Bianca got a good look at the creature, it's mad eyes glared at her, as blood dripped from its huge, misshapen muzzle. It snarled, and she could see it preparing to leap, and with sudden terror she realized that she had nothing to defend herself with. She held her hands up in futile defense as the monster blurred to motion…and then fell mid leap.

It took a moment for Bianca to process. She stared at the twitching corpse of the beast; her attention caught especially by the glinting shaft sticking between its ribs.

"Silver,' A woman's voice above her said conversationally.

"It is the best thing to kill them."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Just to let you know their some kind of disturbing stuff in this chapter. It might even be kind of grisly, so be fore warned.

Bianca watched, stunned, as the warriors under Amelia's command mowed down the raiding monsters. Within seconds the few that were still alive were fleeing to the woods with immortal warriors on their heels.

"Cowards," The warrior woman, stated, as she swung herself down from her horse. "They only look for easy meat. At the first sign of silver, they run." She snorted delicately.

Bianca tore her gaze away from the dark wood were roars and the crashing of pursuit still sounded. In front of her the huge creature lay, frightening even in death, and beyond it sprawled the body of the Meehan. A sweet young woman, married to a warrior, and practically due with her first child.

Bianca stumbled in a broad circle around the creature to get to her. Behind her Amelia spoke, "It is too late for her, she is dead." Bianca ignored her.

Of course, Meehan was dead, Bianca knew that. She'd seen what the creature did. She just couldn't quite accept it. It was such a waste, such a horrible waste, and not just of one life. Bianca laid her palm on the slain woman's protruding belly.

"We must burn the bodies." Amelia's voice cut through, Bianca's musings.

"The monster's bite poisons, just as ours." Bianca looked up, startled, and the other woman gestured to the body.

"Most of these will soon be like those others were."

"But she's dead?"

The warrior woman removed her helmet, and shook her hair free.

"The bite could still do it, though possibly not." She shrugged.

Bianca opened her mouth to speak further, but the words choked off as she felt something move under her hand. Amelia reacted instantly to the sudden change in her expression, cocking her crossbow and aiming it grimly at the dead woman, but Bianca held up a hand.

"Wait!"

"Lady Bianca, this is no time for foolishness," The other woman hissed, as Bianca moved to press both hands against bulge of belly. She felt the movement again.

"It's still alive!" She breathed. Amelia's face twisted in incomprehension.

"The Baby, Meehan's baby is still alive." Bianca explained hurriedly. "We have to get it out though." The vampire lady pulled back, letting the tip of her crossbow drop, a look of intense uncertainty on her face.

"Get it out…" She echoed. Bianca nodded briskly, though her own lips pressed together hard.

"I have seen it done once before. If the mother dies, it is still possible sometimes to cut the baby out." With a start and a surge of guilt, Bianca suddenly remembered Sonja, and her promise. Amelia meanwhile, was beginning to look a bit sick.

"That is barbarous."

Bianca hardly heard the words. "Amelia, I need to find out if my sister is safe; but the baby will die if I don't get it out soon."

"I will find your sister." The other woman volunteered immediately, looking relieved.

"If you find Helena as you go, send her and tell her to bring cloths and light."

"I will do so." The other woman nodded. "I will also send warriors who can assist you if the woman begins to turn."

Bianca nodded absently, the bulk of her mind focused on the operation before her. She had been barely more than a child when goodwife Yentle had delivered her sister from her stepmother's dead body. The old woman had spoken softly through the whole thing, murmuring prayers and songs. As always, at a birth, Bianca found herself following that habit. She wished that she could move Meehan away from the stinking carcass of the dead creature, but there wasn't time. She drew her eating knife, and quickly began cutting the cloth obscuring the woman's belly. She grimaced at the dullness of the edge, it needed whetting, but again there wasn't time.

Abruptly, Helena was there as well as a few others.

"My lady, thank Jesu your safe!" The older woman gasped, sinking down beside her. Bianca was too busy to acknowledge that.

"Helena, have you got a sharp knife?" The other woman patted her skirts helplessly.

"Not even my meat knife, I dropped it when the alarm went up."

"I have one, my lady." Another voice spoke up. One of the human warriors, holding a torch with one hand held out a knife with the other.

"Robb, my sister will be very glad to know that you are unharmed." Bianca commented as she accepted the blade, then she hesitated. Helena patted her hand.

"Lady Sonja's just fine. I left her to help mind the younger babes."

"The monsters never got past the inner circle, though we were pretty near breaking when the Lady Amelia's party showed up." The warrior, Robb added.

"None of the children were harmed." Helena finished. Bianca felt relief melt some of the tension in her body, but resisted the temptation to sag. Instead she adjusted her grip on the knife, and beckoned the light a bit closer. Her eye sight was good, but she didn't want to make any mistakes here.

The first cut, into the pale white flesh of the woman's abdomen was the hardest. Even though she held her breath, the sight of the blood was almost as bad. Grimly, she concentrated on keeping her hand steady, as she drew the blade down the slope of belly. It wasn't just the blood either; no matter how much she reminded herself that Meehan was dead, it seemed somehow wrong to be cutting into her like a slaughtered pig. Bianca clamped down on that thought as well, forcing her attention on the child. There was very little time now; its movement were weak and infrequent.

Bracing herself, Bianca set the knife aside, and carefully eased her hand into the opening she'd made. Behind her she dimly noted that Robb was cursing softly.

Mostly she was concentrating on her hands though, as they felt their way to the unborn child struggling for life. She remembered Yentle's explanation of the sack that carried the baby beneath the skin, and how the child must be freed from it before it suffocated. She could feel the sack, a slick, fragile membrane that she could feel the child through. Gently she pulled, wincing at the wet, tearing noises.

The child lay curled, and unmoving, in it's sack. It barely filled both of her hands.

Helena's shaking voice, seemed to come from a long way off, as she lifted the little bundle from the dead woman's abdomen.

"Is it still alive?"

Bianca was too busy to answer. As soon as the child was out she began ripping the sack away, carefully.

The first view of the child took her breath away. Except for the streaks of blood left by her fingers, it, he – she amended- was perfect. Porcelain skin, with none of the puffiness that most newborns had. A beautiful child, But one that was not breathing. Bianca felt a strike of pure panic that she might have been to slow.

"Rub his chest." Helena advised into her ear. Bianca was already starting that, but she didn't bother replying. It was working in any case. Under her touch the little body shuddered and opening its little mouth wide sucked in its first breath. The resulting wail drew a quiet laugh from Robb, who still stood holding the torch.

"He's got a strong voice at least."

Bianca nodded feeling the slightest of smiles tug at her lips. She turned and held the child out for Helena.

"Take him so I can cut the cord Helena."

A movement from the corner of her eye made Bianca gasp. She heard Robb let out a startled curse. The corpse of the woman was twitching.

"Cut the cord, my lady." Helena's frightened voice pulled Bianca's attention back. Behind her, she could hear Robb shouting, as the twitching became more violent. Bianca clamped down on her fear and worked faster. Yanking a string from the hem of her skirt and knotting it firmly around the cord snaking out from the child's navel. She heard Amelia's voice join the noise as with a precise motion she severed the child's last connection with his mother.

"Don't be stupid! It is not alive; the monsters bite is transforming it into another like it." Amelia's voice rose in exasperation. Bianca turned to see her standing at the front of the group beside the body. Meehan's body was spasming grotesquely. As Bianca watched the woman' back arched so that she seemed to be resting only on her shoulders and heels. Then she snapped back down, and abruptly her neck was in place. Horror seemed to freeze everyone in place, as the woman's eyes opened. Black pebbles of polished stone seemed to have replaced her eyes, and her gaze was a mad glare, devoid of all humanity. She let out a scream that deepened at the end into a monstrous roar.

Just barely audible above the bestial noise, Bianca could hear Amelia shouting.

"Get out of my way, you fools." There was a metallic swish, and the roar went silent. Bianca looked away. Everyone was silent for a moment, stunned by what they had seen. Bianca could hear Helena crying quietly. Amelia broke the moment.

"Take the body, and burn it like the others." She instructed several of the men. "The child as well."

"What?" Bianca blurted. Amelia didn't look at her.

"The child lived on the mother's blood; it is undoubtedly infected as well."

Bianca felt herself go hot with anger. Without a word she took the boy from Helena and stood up. The movement woke the child, and he immediately let out a tiny wail of protest. Bianca stepped close to the other woman.

"Have you even looked at this child?" She hissed. Amelia glared at her.

"It does not make any difference if I look at it. It is a monster, or soon will be."

"It is a child!" Bianca contradicted. "A beautiful, little boy; and I am not going to allow anyone to hurt him."

"And how are you going to feed him?" The other woman gritted out. "Have you looked at him? He already has teeth." She challenged.

Bianca looked down at the wailing infant in her arms. He did have teeth, so tiny that they were hardly visible, but sharp looking. She drew in a shuddering breath and steadied herself.

"The child's care is my concern."

"Is it?" The warrior woman challenged. Bianca fixed her with a steady gaze and the full authority of the mistress of Wraithburg castle.

"Yes, it is."

Bianca held the other woman's eyes till she finally looked away and muttered.

"Let it be on your head then." And stomped off; then she sighed and let herself sag. The baby's crying hadn't ceased, though it was occasionally interrupted with little hiccupping breaks. Bianca recognized its hunger.

"Helena, send some one to milk one of the cows." Helena's reply was an almost inaudible "Yes milady." Bianca shifted the cloth wrapped child to one are and wondered what she was going to do.


End file.
